in God's estimation. No such thing. No such thing. "But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of man, but of God" (Rom. ii. 28, 29). Inwardly circumcised in heart, and brought into possession of the kingdom of God by the power of the Holy Ghost and the guidance of His eternal and unchanging law of love and life in Christ Jesus, elect sinners rejoice in the knowledge of their Israelitish origin and destiny. These worship and adore their glorious King who is now in the heights of glory for them. He was born King for them--He was circumcised for them-He was baptized for them-He obeyed for them -He suffered for them-He died for them-He rose again for them -He entered heaven's highest glory for them-He rules over all for them, and has given them the blessed assurance, that as He has sat down with His Father on His throne, so shall they sit with Him on His throne. These are Jews indeed, they form the nation which JEHOVAH has chosen for His own inheritance, and, blessed be His name, redeemed by the precious blood of Christ. From what? Look at a few portions of God's Word which speak of His glorious work of redemption. "Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us" (Gal. iii. 13). The price being paid and the penalty borne, there is no more curse on new covenant ground for God's elect nation. "I will redeem them from death" (Hosea xiii. 14). On redemption ground in the land of resurrection-life there is no more death. Of these the Redeemer said, "Neither can they die any more, being the children of the resurrection" (Luke xx. 36). Never die? What! will not the time come when I shall for ever part with Grove chapel pulpit and people? Sometimes I sigh, The sooner the better. O the blessedness of having done with sin, corruption, deceit, and death! "Who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity (Titus ii. 14). Wondrous redemption! We confessed in our prayer this morning, "Not on me, Lord, not on me, That is the confession of every contrite spirit. The declaration of God concerning all such is, "Redeemed from all iniquity." To all the elect and redeemed nation iniquity has lost all its penal and condemning power. "He shall redeem their soul from deceit and violence " (Psa. lxxii. 14). Lord, teach us more and more of Thy sweet simplicity. For the accomplishment of His redemption, the Redeemer must be brought to feel all the necessities of His redeemed. And so He was. The mighty God, the sinless Man came forth in the person of Christ and endured the whole penalty of God's outraged law. As the Surety of the covenant, He met every requirement and paid every demand by the presentation of His perfect obedience and the shedding of His most precious blood. Look at Acts xx, 28; "Feed the Church of God, which He hath purchased with His own blood," or, "with the blood of His own "—that is, with the blood of His own providing the blood of His own everlasting covenant-"the blood of Jesus Christ His Son." Thus it is "His own blood." It is sinless, innocent, invaluable blood by which His elect are redeemed, cleansed, and sanctified before Him. "Whom God went to redeem for a people to Himself." There is something very blessed in this declaration. It is notonly freeing them from bondage, captivity, and slavery by paying a ransom price for them, but it is also taking them to Himself, for Himself, to be eternally with Himself. They are His own peculiar property-His own special treasure. He is their Keeper, Teacher and Guide. He will have them near to Himself in gracious fellowship here and in glorious unfoldings up yonder, when before their astonished gaze He reveals to them scene after scene of inexpressible glory. Notice those words, "to make Him a name." No failure or flaw can be found in the redemption work of Israel's covenant God, therefore His name shall be glorious in the estimation of His redeemed. See how blessedly this is stated in Isa. lxiii. 12-14: "That led them by the right hand of Moses with His glorious arm, dividing the water before them, to make an everlasting name. As a beast goeth down into the valley, the Spirit of the LORD caused him to rest so didst Thou lead Thy people, to make Thyself a glorious name." Whether it be in the redemption of His people or the rest He has provided for them, the name of JEHOVAHJESUS is exalted and very high. III.—A RIGHTEOUS VINDICATION" And to do for you great things and terrible, for Thy land, before Thy people." Read for yourselves that portion in Exodus iii. and xvi., and you will see God doing great things and terrible in bringing judgment after judgment upon Egypt and mercy after mercy upon Israel. Deliverance to one. Destruction to the other. And all this for His land, the land of spiritual promise and covenant favour, in which He will cause all His goodness, grace, and greatness to pass "before His people." We must hasten to consider, are IV. A GRACIOUS SEPARATION" Which Thou redeemedst to Thee from Egypt, from the nations, and their gods." All God's redemption acts are to set His people at a distance from Satan and his service, and to bring them into blessed association with Himself. Are we redeemed from Egypt? Then we strangers with God in a wilderness world. Are we redeemed out of the earth? Then we are identified with Jesus in rejection. Are we redeemed from the power of the flesh? Then we are associated with the Spirit in all His gracious operations. Are we delivered from the authority of darkness? Then we are translated into the kingdom of God's dear Son. What experience have we of the redeeming love, blood, and power of Jesus? Where are we in respect to the devil and his works, the pomps and vanities of this wicked world, and the sinful lusts of the flesh? Do we love the associations in which we formerly delighted? Has there been a redemption from these? There has in my case. I will tell you honestly before the Lord, though some precise ones say I do not act prudently in speaking of these things, sometimes I find myself like the old cavalry horse, which, when following the hounds, heard the bugle call, and started immediately with its rider to join the ranks. Though redeemed and separated by blood, I find my old inclinations and desires cropping up again and again to my sorrow and distress. It was my delight in my younger days to witness the exposition of the plays of Shakespeare by some of the masters in histrionic representation, and even now, when I see on the walls announcements of celebrated plays with noted performers, there is life in the old man, and he would be off to his old haunts and associations. He would, but cannot go. There is a separating line between myself and sin's indulgence, which is God's election. There is a mark of prohibition between me and the world's delights, which is Christ's redemption. There is an effectual separating barrier between me and the worldling's pleasures, which is the Spirit's regenerating and restoring power. "I thirst, but not as once I did, The vain delights of earth to share ; That I should seek my pleasures there." V.-AN EVERLASTING CONFIRMATION- "For Thou hast confirmed to Thyself Thy people Israel, to be a people unto Thee for ever and Thou, LORD, art become their God." We love a promising and a performing God. Did He predestinate a people to His eternal glory? He will prepare them for it and perfect them in it. He begets them again, brings to the birth, and blesses them with grace and glory. See! "Moreover, whom He did predestinate, them He also called; and whom He called, them He also justified: and whom He justified, them He also glorified" (Rom. viii. 30). A predestinated child shall never lack his patrimony in eternal glory, for the will and the work to effect the same is all the Lord's. Israel was a people confirmed to God by His own transactions in the counsel and covenant of old, but they must be confirmed to Him in their own heart's experience. The confirmation of the spiritual subjects of King Emmanuel in their allegiance to Him is accomplished in the school of painful but profitable experience, and shall stand for ever. We find a hint of this in Acts xiv. 22: "Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God." Does God send His testimony of love to them? He will confirm it in them by the power of the Holy Ghost (1 Cor. i. 6). Has He taught them to wait for the revelation of His Christ in them? He will confirm them to the end, blameless in the day of Jesus Christ-that is, for ever (1 Cor. i. 8). If I am one of His pilgrim people, then tribulations and temptations, floods and flames, crosses and conflicts will work together to "Confirm His good pleasure to bring me quite through." The more God in His mercy weans us by the power of His grace from this wretched, miserable world, the more we own our allegiance to Him, and our adoring hearts would cry,— "Let all creation join in one To bless the sacred name Of Him that sits upon the throne, "This God is our God for ever and ever: He will be our Guide even unto death," and to that eternal glory prepared by Him for His own (Psa. xlviii. 14). May the Lord add His blessing for His name's sake. Amen. HYMN. O ISRAEL, who is like to thee. Thy Shield! He guards thee from the foc; Fear not, though many should oppose, Thy toils have almost reached a close, Within yon glorious land; In glory there the King appears : THE COMING OF JEHOVAH-JESUS. A Sermon PREACHED IN GROVE CHAPEL, CAMBERWELL, ON SUNDAY MORNING, DECEMBER 22ND, 1878, BY THOMAS BRADBURY. Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion; for, lo, I come, and I will dwell in the midst of thee, saith the LORD. "And many nations shall be joined to the LORD in that day, and shall be My people and I will dwell in the midst of thee, and thou shalt know that the LORD of hosts hath sent Me unto thee."-Zechariah ii. 10, 11. THE HE covenant kindness and care of Israel's God is the subject of this chapter. The concern He has over the objects of His love, purpose, purchase, and power, is revealed at every step. His care for them is set forth in the various metaphors abounding throughout the whole of this blessed portion of inspiration; but time would fail me to enumerate, or enter into an exposition of them. Nevertheless, I will just throw out a few hints which He may bless to some of your waiting souls. The chapter commences with the description of the prophet's seeing "a man with a measuring line in his hand," whom he asks, Whither goest thou?" when the answer is returned, measure Jerusalem, to see what is the breadth thereof, and what is the length thereof." In this we see JEHOVAH'S solicitude in all things connected with His Church and people. Their wants, necessities, pains, sorrows, bereavements, and disappointments all measured. This truth is revealed in Isaiah xxvii. 8: "In measure, when it shooteth forth, Thou wilt debate with it; He stayeth His rough wind in the day of His East wind." Again in Jeremiah xxx. 11: "I will correct thee in measure." This is beautifully expressed in the words of Swain: "Our sorrows in the scale He weighs, And measures out our pains; The wildest storm His word obeys. No. 1C8.-FRICE ONE PENNY. 66 To |